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There is a quiet reliability to a good sultana that deserves more credit than it typically receives. Sweet without being sharp, plump without being heavy, and versatile enough to move between a school lunchbox, a slow-braised lamb shoulder, and a Christmas cake without missing a beat, the sultana is one of those pantry staples that reveals the depth of its usefulness only once you start reaching for it regularly. Grandma always had them on hand, not as an afterthought but as a deliberate choice, because she knew that a small handful of something sweet and fruity in the right place can change the entire character of a dish.
Flavour Profile: Dried sultanas have a gentle, honeyed sweetness that is softer and less sharp than raisins, with a mild winey fruitiness and a warm, sun-dried quality that deepens pleasantly when cooked. Their texture is plump and tender with a slight chew that holds up well in baking without becoming tough or overly chewy. When soaked or gently heated they soften further and release a concentrated, naturally sweet juice that adds both flavour and moisture to whatever they are cooked in.
How to Use It: For the best results in baking, soak sultanas in warm water, fruit juice, or a splash of something more interesting like orange juice, black tea, or even a little brandy for 15 to 20 minutes before adding them to a batter or dough. This plumps them up, prevents them from drawing moisture out of the surrounding mixture during baking, and ensures they stay soft and juicy in the finished product rather than drying out in the oven. In savoury cooking, add sultanas early in a braise or slow cook so they have time to soften into the sauce and contribute their sweetness to the overall flavour balance. In salads and grain dishes they work best added at the end, where their sweetness provides contrast against bitter leaves, sharp dressings, and toasted nuts. A light dusting of flour before folding sultanas into cake batter helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
Recipes Where Sultanas Shine: A classic gluten free fruit cake or Christmas cake relies on sultanas as part of its dried fruit foundation, where their gentler sweetness balances the sharper currants and raisins and contributes to the dense, moist crumb that makes a good fruit cake worth keeping for weeks. Moroccan-style roasted cauliflower or roasted carrot salad with sultanas, toasted pine nuts, fresh herbs, and a cumin and lemon dressing is one of those side dishes that surprises people consistently and converts anyone who thinks they do not particularly like cauliflower. A slow-braised Sicilian-style sweet and sour chicken or rabbit dish with sultanas, capers, olives, and tomato is a deeply satisfying combination of contrasting flavours that demonstrates exactly how well sultanas perform in a savoury context. Homemade gluten free muesli with rolled oats or puffed rice, coconut, seeds, and sultanas is a practical and genuinely delicious everyday breakfast that benefits from having the right dried fruit in the mix. Bircher muesli soaked overnight with sultanas, grated apple, yoghurt, and a little orange juice is one of the most effortless and nourishing breakfasts available to a well-stocked pantry.
Good to Know: Sultanas are naturally gluten free, dairy free, and vegan in their pure dried form. They are a natural source of fibre and iron and contain no artificial additives or preservatives when sourced in their natural state, though some commercially produced sultanas are treated with sulphur dioxide as a preservative to maintain their pale golden colour. If you are sensitive to sulphites, please check the specific product label before purchase as sulphite sensitivity can cause reactions in some individuals. As always, if you are managing a severe allergy or coeliac disease, please check the specific product label for facility and cross-contamination information.
Ingredients: Sultanas.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Large amounts may need to be ordered in. Allow 14 business days for it to arrive at GPO.
